If your answer to this question is the local church, think twice. Most churches refer rather than help Christians with their financial needs. You might get referred to a local food closet; a social service agency or to the State … for welfare. The evangelical churches may also take up a love offering once a month and make it available to the Deacon Ministry, although the funds are quite limited and very few would be helped in a total economic collapse. On the other hand, if you are a Catholic you may get referred to one of their many agencies that help the poor, but they too would be unable to help in a total economic collapse especially when you consider that already many are being turned down or put on a lengthy waiting list. So who will help the Christian poor during a total economic collapse?

If the churches are incapable of feeding their poor during an economic collapse then the State will be the only one left standing to offer assistance. Unlike the churches who offer a message of hope with their assistance, one must ask, “What will the State offer or what will it expect?” In the First Century Rome offered bread and the circuses to the poor and what they expected in return was unfeigned allegiance to the emperor. They were told to simply burn a little incense and publicly acknowledge Caesar as god. To offer food and circuses was Rome’s way to control the masses so they would not do what we see beginning to happen today with the occupy movement and rioting in the streets of our inner cities. I am afraid the occupy movement will only force the hand of the government to exercise control over the masses by implementing its national health care system expediently and expanding its welfare rolls.

So we are forced to ask the question, “What would the State require from the Christian poor for the State’s assistance?” Maybe it will start with required secular psychological counseling and a prescription for psychotropic drugs to induce a level of control. Try taking away the drugs and see how they cry out to the State for help. We have seen this in almost every national disaster where the population is left alone without their psychotropic drugs. This was especially evident during Katrina. Then it could move on to something even more sinister like taking a mark (visible or invisible) to be registered in the national health care system prior to receiving any assistance from the State. When folks are hungry and lack the basic necessities of life it would become a small step for most to publicly acknowledge the world leader as a god. Especially if they can convince the entire world that we are all gods – god is in every man.

But let’s return to our original question; “Who will help the Christian poor during a total economic collapse?”  Can we convince the local church to take a second look at how they manage their priorities? There are many questions that need to be asked: “Do we really need that new building project;” “Can we skip the remodeling;” and, how about the staff’s salaries; “are they above or below the medium income of their church members?” Perhaps what is needed is a line item for the Christian poor. It grieves my heart when a Christian in need of assistance is told by a pastor that he will only pray about it and not offer the needed assistance.  But can we go further? Yes, I believe every believer in Christ can do his share by cutting back his own expenses to the absolute essentials. Doing so will enable him to put back money at the beginning of each week to be used for those Christians who are truly in need of basic necessities.

For the American Christian we may need to understand what our absolute essentials are so that we can cut back wherever necessary. Do I need two cars or will one do? Can I get by without my cell phone or does it replace my landline? How often do I eat out instead of cooking at home? How many sets of clothes do I need in the closet? Friends the list could go on further, but it is really up to every Christian to determine what his absolute essentials are. Unlike the example given to us by our government, we do not need any debt! To pay monthly finance charges on a debt that should have been settled long ago is incorrigible for a Christian who should not let any debt remain outstanding.  The first step in becoming debt free is stop charging on credit unless you can settle the debt when it becomes due and of course I am talking about the full debt not just the minimum charge given to us by the credit card companies.

Finally, when the economic collapse arrives every Christian should be prepared to help his neighbor to the best of his ability and especially his Christian neighbor. Christians will need to network together by trading absolute essentials and by all means keeping them from going to the State. We will need to practice the spirit of hospitality and give to those who ask. Those with land will need to learn how to grow crops and store food for the winter. I can still remember my aunt putting in a garden every year and canning enough food for the entire family along with giving to those in the church who had a need. We may need to return to those days and do everything possible to keep the Christian poor from taking anything from the State. To do so will demonstrate true Christian love.

Copyright © 2012 Rev. Daniel W. Blair – All content (blog articles) have been published in my new book: “Revelation Truth” available in our bookstore or at a bookstore near you.